At her 12-week scan, Margaret and her joiner husband Gary, 49, were told Emilie had exomphalos.

“We met with consultants at 35 weeks and they told us that, hopefully, they would be able to operate, and she would be ok,” Margaret, from Craigavon in Northern Ireland said.

But she was too small to operate on and doctors told the couple they would have to wait until she was about a year old – although she would be able to survive with her organs on the outside protected by dressings, until her skin grew over it.

She developed a cold and we thought she would be fine. She just needed a few days to get over it

Mum Margaret O'Connor

Margaret, who is also mum to Daniel, 14, Shayne, 12 and Calum, nine, said: “She did take a turn for the worse at two weeks old.

“She had a group B strep infection and was going into septic shock, but doctors gave her antibiotics and she came round.

“We took her home at a month old and her condition never really affected her much.

“She was a really happy little baby. She loved clapping her hands and dancing to music. Even the night before she died, she was doing that.”

But just a few hours later, around 5am, Emilie started to vomit again and her parents became more concerned.

“It was a deep brown colour and I was worried she had a bowel obstruction, so we took her straight back to the hospital,” Margaret, a healthcare assistant said.

In the hours that followed, doctors investigated the possibility of a bowel obstruction – performing blood tests and x-rays.

That evening, when test results revealed bacteria in her blood, she was given antibiotics.

But just five minutes later Margaret noticed a mottled purple rash on her skin, which soon spread, and within minutes Emilie deteriorated so medics prepared to ventilate her and move her to a bigger hospital.

“She was a miracle baby and she had defied the odds all along. It’s been completely heartbreaking for us all.”

After an investigation, Margaret and Gary were told the cause of their daughter’s death was sepsis – an abnormal response to an infection in the body.

“I had heard of sepsis, but I didn’t know much about the symptoms,” Margaret added.

“Obviously, she had fought septic shock at a few weeks old, so I knew about it, but I feel there isn’t much awareness of what you need to look out for.

“The symptoms are so similar to a cold or flu and if you don’t get treatment quickly, it’s too late.”

THE SIGNS YOUR CHILD HAS SEPSIS

Septicaemia, also known as sepsis, is a rare but serious complication of an infection that can quickly lead to multiple organ failure and death.

The blood poisoning occurs when large amounts of bacteria enter the bloodstream.

Bacterial meningitis can lead to septicaemia.

Sepsis can also be caused by viral or fungal infections, although bacterial infections are by far the most common cause.

Symptoms in children under 5

your child may look mottled, bluish or pale

is very lethargic and difficult to wake

feels abnormally cold to touch

is breathing very fast or having difficulty breathing

has a rash that does not fade when you press on it

is fitting or convulsing

has a high temperature

refusing to eat or drink

has not had a wee for over 12 hours

Symptoms in older children and adults

a high temperature

chills and shivering

fast heartbeat

fast breathing

feeling dizzy or faint

confusion and disorientation

diarrhoea

nausea and vomiting

slurred speech

severe muscle pain

breathlessness

not urinating for a day

cold, clammy and pale skin

loss of consciousness

If any of these symptoms develop you should seek medical advice straight away.

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Still coming to terms with Emilie’s death, her family are now keen to raise awareness of the symptoms of the condition.

“We still think about her every single day. Now we want to work to raise awareness of the symptoms to stop this happening to anyone else,” she added.

“We have been distributing leaflets in doctors’ surgeries and just trying to speak out so people know to ask, ‘Could it be sepsis?’ If it is identified and treated quickly, the chances of survival are much higher.

“We can’t bring Emilie back, but I hope this will keep her memory alive.”

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